Paper feeding apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for facilitating printer paper feeding. The apparatus is made up of a yoke and a platen channel carrying a paper aligner and feed rollers. The yoke has downwardly extending legs with a detent therebetween. The apparatus is rotatably positionable on a rod mounted parallel to the platen, and the detent is for accepting the rod. The downwardly extending legs are for cooperating with a tooth of a rotatable comb for causing rotation of the apparatus on the rod. The channel serves as a paper deflector and guide for guiding paper about the platen. Within the channel are openings through which front and rear feed rollers carried by the channel extend. Also within the channel is an aligner opening for accepting the paper aligner which is positionable within the aligner opening. The paper aligner has a downwardly extending leg for cooperating with another tooth on the comb to position the aligner within the aligner opening. Due to the structure of the apparatus, a member thereof can be utilized and positioned on the rod to accommodate any length platen.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for facilitating the feeding of paper about a printer platen, said apparatus comprising: (a) yoke means for effecting rotation of said apparatus in a first and a second direction;   (b) channel means connected to said yoke means for accommodating said platen; and   (c) first and second feed means carried by said channel means for selectively cooperating with said paper and said platen upon rotation of said apparatus in said first and second directions.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including paper aligner means carried by said channel means for cooperating with said paper and said platen independent of said rotation of said apparatus. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first and second feed means include feed rollers. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said channel means includes openings through which said feed rollers extend toward said platen. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including an aligner opening in said channel means for accepting said aligner means which is positionable within said aligner opening. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including paper deflector means connected to said channel means for deflecting and guiding said paper between said platen and said channel means. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said yoke means includes downwardly extending legs operable for effecting said rotation of said apparatus. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said aligner means includes a downwardly extending leg for effecting positioning of said aligner means in said aligner opening relative to said platen. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 8 including a detent located between said yoke legs and adjacent said channel means. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said aligner opening is located between said feed roller openings.